Unexpected Item in the Bagging Area: The Rise of the Angry Till

I don't mind scanning my own groceries. Really, I don't. What I mind is being treated like a master jewel thief by a machine that can't tell the difference between a loaf of bread and a reusable bag. 'Unexpected item in the bagging area.' No, it's not unexpected, I literally just scanned it.

The entire process is a hostage situation. You scan a cucumber, place it down with the delicacy of disarming a bomb, and the red light flashes anyway. Suddenly, a tired teenager has to march over, swipe a generic badge, and silently judge your inability to weigh produce.

If I'm going to do the job of a checkout operator, I should at least get the staff discount. Or a name badge. Instead, I get a robotic voice demanding I return my item to the bagging area before I've even lifted it.